Epilogue – Eric

"Eric?"

I turned around at the familiar voice to see that Isabel had been standing behind me. I was shocked to see her, as I hadn't seen or heard from her since she dropped me off at the hospital that day three years earlier. And since Alcide and Maria had split up only a few months after that, we didn't have many friends in common any more.

She looked good; her green eyes were smiling at me, and she looked calm and relaxed. And she was also pregnant, or certainly looked to be pregnant.

"Isabel … how are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. Yourself?"

"Yeah, I'm great. You're … wow … you're pregnant?"

"No," she snapped with a frown, the smile in her eyes suddenly disappearing. "So I put on a few pounds." She crossed her arms defensively across her chest.

I was traumatised. "Shit, Iz, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. You really do look great; really healthy." I had done this once before.

"Well maybe you should think before you speak. I'd have thought you would have learnt your lesson on that one." She was giving me a dirty look, but I noticed a telltale smirk in the corner of her mouth.

"I smell bullshit, Isabel." I raised an eyebrow.

She laughed openly and rolled her eyes, placing a hand protectively over her stomach. "Sorry, I couldn't resist it. I really would have thought you'd have known it's best not to ask a woman if she's pregnant!"

"Funny," I deadpanned.

She was referring to a time when I'd mistakenly asked one of her friends if she was pregnant. It was probably only the second or third time I'd met her, and there had probably been a gap of about five months in that time. But as far as I was concerned, no woman could put on that much weight that quickly.

"Nicola always hated you for that. But for the record, she's about three times that size now."

"Wow," I said as I let out a breath.

"And really, Eric, you don't think meeting me in the baby department was a giveaway at all?"

"You're probably right there," I admitted. I looked around to see that yes, we were in fact surrounded by baby clothes. It wasn't my natural environment to be in and I wasn't entirely comfortable.

"So … um … you and Sookie?"

I smiled. "We're good. We got married last summer." I ran my thumb over the back of my wedding ring.

She had a slight flash of pain in her eyes before she gave me a genuine smile. "I'm happy for you both. Really."

"Thank you."

Almost out of nowhere, a tall, black-haired man came up behind her. He was dressed solely in black and moved to stand close to her, wrapping his arms protectively around her. I didn't miss the fact that he was obviously assessing me with his unnaturally blue eyes.

"Eric, this is my fiancé Lieutenant Daniel Kane of the Shreveport Police Department." She snuggled back into his arms and I could see that she was in love with him. And the full use of his title was somewhat of a warning to me. "Daniel, this is my ex, Eric Northman."

He narrowed his eyes briefly before reaching around Isabel and offering me a hand to shake. His handshake was firm, but I wasn't going to let him intimidate me. I noticed Izzy role her eyes at the display of masculinity and the obvious testosterone that was in the air.

"I've heard a lot about you, Northman. Good to finally put a face to the man." It was somewhat of a threat, and there wasn't an easy way to answer that one, so I said nothing. I didn't want to get into a pissing match with him, and it was completely pointless anyway.

"Eric?"

I felt a warm hand on my back and turned to see Sookie stood there. I brought her into my side and wrapped my arm around her, settling my hand on her large belly.

"Sookie … how are you?" Isabel asked her. There was no malice in her eyes as she viewed my wife.

"I'm good, thank you. It's good to see you too … you look happy."

"I am. This is my fiancé Daniel Kane." Sookie nodded and smiled to him, and he did the same but didn't take his hands off his fiancée. "You look fit to burst! How far are you?"

Sookie looked down at her own huge belly and smiled. "Seven months."

"Wow … are you sure? You look huge!"

"Tell me about it," she grumbled. "It's twins. And luckily for me they're mutant Northman babies and are both fricking huge."

She shook her head and scowled up at me. She seemed to think it was my fault that both babies were much larger than they should have been at this stage of her pregnancy. "Hey, you're the one that weight ten pounds at birth. It's not my fault!"

She growled at me before returning her attention to Isabel. "When are you due?"

"I have three months to go. Honestly, I'm starting to get to that stage when I want it over and done with, and three months seems such a long time. I can't wait to see our son." Daniel leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Tell me about it. We're having one of each, and the only conciliation about them being so huge is that I may go into labour early."

"Not too early, hey?" I interjected.

"So when are you guys getting married?" Sookie asked them and ignoring me.

Isabel looked up at Daniel. "We haven't set a date yet. I'm kind of torn between wanting to do it soon, and wanting our son to be old enough to remember it."

"That's a tough decision," Sookie agreed.

"Look … um … I was thinking," Isabel started, a little unsure of herself. "Why don't we all meet up some time to catch up properly? We're a little busy right now, and I'm sure Sookie's as desperate to sit down as I am … so why don't we exchange numbers and arrange a time."

I was a little surprised by Isabel's suggestion, and I could see that her fiancé wasn't too keen on the idea. But Sookie gave me a supportive squeeze to let me know she was okay with it.

"Sounds good, as long as you're both happy with that." I looked to Daniel Kane in particular.

"I am if Izzy is," he confirmed.

"Sure. Sookie, can I get your number? I'm not sure I trust these two!"

Sookie laughed and agreed with her, digging her phone out of her purse so that she could swap numbers with my ex. I wasn't sure quite how comfortable I was with this, and from the look of him, Daniel Kane wasn't too hot on the idea either. But both girls seemed happy enough, and in both being pregnant, they had something to bond over.

After they'd exchanged numbers, we all said our goodbyes and went in our separate directions. Sookie and I paid for the items she'd picked up in the store for our soon-to-be-arriving little ones, and we headed to a nearby restaurant to get some lunch and for Sookie to rest a little. I knew how much work it must be for her to be so pregnant, and I was more than willing to do everything and anything she required of me.

"She seems happy," Sookie mused when we were eating. These days she could rival me in appetite, although she tried to keep her food healthier than mine normally was.

"She does."

"And he seems like he loves her."

I sighed. "I hope so. She deserves to have someone to love her considering the shit I put her through."

"And he's hot." Sookie had a devious smile on her face and I knew that she was deliberately taunting me.

"Lover …" my tone was in warning, and I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying that the girl has good taste." She was clearly enjoying herself. "But of course he isn't a patch on you." She blew me a kiss.

"Correct answer," I growled.

Sookie laughed. "Shit, Eric, I never had you for one lacking self-confidence!"

I ran a hand through my hair, and when Sookie saw that I wasn't laughing, she sobered up. "Sensitive subject, I guess."

"I'm sorry, Eric. I didn't mean it like that. I want her to be happy as well. I still feel guilty at times that I have you. At least now I know she has someone to love as well, who obviously loves her." She gave me a beautiful smile. "I love you, you know that."

"I know. And I love you more." I took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"But you're okay with us meeting up?" she asked me. "Because I'm sure Isabel would understand if you didn't want to do this. We can blame it on me, if you want."

"I'm fine with it. I guess I'd like to catch up with her now that we've both moved on with our lives. And as long as you're happy with it. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm fine. If it wasn't for the jealousy I felt for her the last time I really met her, I'm sure I'd have liked her!"

I breathed deeply and took my wife in. She really was a beautiful and generous woman, and I didn't think I could be happier. But there had always been a slight remnant of my guilt around Isabel, and when I'd occasionally thought of her, I'd always hoped that she was happy. Now, I knowing that she was, I felt like it was one last weight lifted off my mind. And I did want to be friends with her; I always had done, bur before now it wouldn't have been good for either of us.

"You ready, lumpy?" I asked once she'd finished eating.

"Watch it, mister, or I'll sit on you!"

.

"Will you sit down?"

"Eric, I'm pregnant, not an invalid."

"You're eight months pregnant, with two monster babies. Sit. Let me do this."

"Eric…"

"I mean it, Sookie. It's bad enough that you've been on your feet for the past hour. Stop fussing, woman, and sit your ass down. I know how to put a pie in the oven."

Sookie raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

I poked my tongue out at her, but stood watching her until she finally sat down at the kitchen table.

"Better?" she snarked.

"Much."

"You're not taking credit for that pie."

I laughed. "Hardly. Isabel knows me well enough to know that home cooking like that is not my style. I'm more the type to buy something and chuck it in the oven."

"Don't I know it," she grumbled. I mockingly scowled at her. "You really are excellent at heating stuff. I'm very impressed."

"I make an excellent roast and you know it."

"Yes, Eric, you have a great one-dish repertoire!"

Our bickering was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. "Don't even think about it," I warned Sookie when she made an attempt to get up to greet our guests. "In fact, why don't you go into the living room where you'll be more comfortable."

She gave me a dirty look but did as I asked. It had been a point of contention between us over the last couple of weeks, and particularly when I had started to do most of my work at home so I could be around for her. I was often accused of smothering her and being overly protective, but from talking to Stan and a few other friends who'd gone through this, it was apparently fairly common and I didn't take it to heart.

To me, she was the most important being in my life, and she was carrying a very important cargo. It seemed like it had brought out some kind of protective instinct out in me, and I wasn't going to let anything happen to her. And if that meant that I had to endure some crankiness from her; then so be it.

Once I saw that Sookie was heading to the more comfortable living room, I went to let Isabel and Daniel into our home. Over the years we'd spent time and money on expanding and completely redecorating the house that Sookie had grown up in. We'd fitted more modern features and had the place completely re-wired. We'd also built an extension on the house similar to the one in my old house, and we'd spent time and effort making sure that the place fitted both of our tastes.

"Eric, how are you?" Daniel was helping Isabel up the stairs, and I could see that in the month since I'd last seen her, she'd grown considerably.

"Good. You've expanded."

"Yeah … thanks. How's Sookie doing?"

"Resembling a beached whale right now," I said with a smile.

"I heard that!" Sookie yelled from inside the house, and I smiled wildly. Isabel narrowed her eyes, but Daniel was smiling.

"She's getting difficult," I clarified to them both as I showed them in. Isabel slapped my arm hard.

"You're a braver man than me," Daniel joked.

I showed them both into the living room and, after getting us all drinks, I went to sit down next to Sookie. She scowled like an angry kitten, but I ignored her and pulled her into my arms. None of us were drinking alcohol as the girls obviously couldn't from pregnancy, and I knew I wasn't going to in case I had to drive Sookie to the hospital. I could only imagine the same held with Daniel.

"I like what you've done here," Isabel commented as she looked around the room. Up to that point I had forgotten that I'd brought Isabel to Sookie's house when we found out her Gran had died.

"Thanks," Sookie told her. "It's been a bit of a long struggle at times, but I love this place now."

"It's very calming. There's a natural vibe about this house."

"I've always thought that," Sookie told her. It was part of the reason I'd thought it was such a good idea for us both to live in this house. I knew that Sookie had always considered it her home, and probably wouldn't feel the same about anywhere else. "So, how did you two meet?" she asked, changing the subject back onto our guests.

Isabel smiled up at Daniel. "We met in a bar. I'd been at my sister's in Monroe and driving to Shreveport when my car started to make some horrific sounds. I was just passing this scary-ass looking bar, so I pulled into the parking lot amongst all the bikes. I swear there must have been about fifty of them that evening!" Daniel shook his head and smiled.

"Anyway," she continued. "I was convinced I was going to get killed or something, and I was just about to call my dad to come and get me when Daniel knocked on my window. He was in this black leather jacket with aviator shades on, so I couldn't see his eyes. I was so scared!"

"You're making me sound like a hardened criminal!"

"I thought you were! But anyway, he pulled off his shades and offered to look under the bonnet. I was too scared to deny him. He pretty much told me that my car was fucked, and that I should go inside with him."

"And did you?" Sookie asked.

"I tried not to, saying that I'd call my dad, but he smiled and was insistent. Long story short, we went inside the bar and started talking. I soon realised that my initial assessment of him may have been a little wrong, and by the end of the night I'd completely forgotten about my car and we'd arranged a date. I guess it spiralled from there." She gazed up at him.

They carried on talking while I carried on preparing our meal in the kitchen. I checked in often, pleased to see that Sookie and Isabel seemed to be getting along well and that the evening was going better than I had anticipated it would.

Or at least that was until both Sookie and Isabel yelled for me.

Sookie was sitting on the sofa looking a little stunned with a telltale wetness between her legs. I could feel the blood draining from my face, and I felt a little weak.

Her waters had broken.

Sookie and I stared at each other for a moment, neither really knowing what to do. Luckily for both of us, it was Isabel and Daniel that kicked us in the right direction.

"You have your bag already packed for the hospital?" we were asked.

"Yes, it's in the hallway," I answered. I turned and looked at Isabel, feeling completely dumbfounded.

"Well go and put it in the car. Sookie's going into labour; you're going to be a dad!"

That just made me smile, and I gave my wife a kiss before doing as Isabel told me to. I ran around like a blue-ass fly, turning off the oven and making sure that the house was suitably locked up before I helped a scared Sookie into passenger seat of my BMW where I'd already put some lining down to stop any leakage into the seats. Sookie was already traumatised that she'd ruined the sofa, so I didn't want her to worry about the car as well.

Isabel was being hugely supportive to Sookie while I closed up the house.

"Let me know how things go," she said to Sookie, squeezing her hand. "Look after her," she said to me, before pulling me into a hug. I shook hands with Daniel briefly before climbing into the driver's side of the car.

"This is really happening," she commented.

"I know." I took her hand across the centre console.

"We should have given the pie to Isabel."

I laughed at her, amused that she was more concerned about her pie than her pending childbirth. "It doesn't matter. They're not going to starve."

We both talked excitedly as we drove to the hospital. I tried to distract Sookie as much as possible and distract her from the contractions she was starting to have. I was scared myself, but I was determined to stay calm at least until we were inside the hospital. Then, I'd allow myself to freak out.

Once we were at the hospital, she was taken immediately to the maternity ward and hooked up to various pieces of machinery. While she was being examined, I took the opportunity to call Pam to let her know, as well as Amelia in New York, who I knew would want to come down as soon as possible.

I had to admit that it was some of the longest hours of my life as I waited for the moment to arrive when Sookie would give birth. I was so scared, and I hated seeing her in pain.

But after all that … when I finally got to see my son and daughter … I was the happiest man alive.

Sookie was exhausted and emotional after giving birth first to our son James and then our daughter Abigail twenty minutes later. I was so proud of her, and I held her in my arms, gently stroking her hair and telling her repeatedly how grateful I was to her and how much I loved her as we laid with our children.

Abigail and James were both perfect. Each had ten tiny toes and ten tiny fingers, and both already had good lungs on them considering the way they were screaming.

"Can we put them back?" I joked.

"Not a chance. Nothing is ever going in there again." I got the point she was making.

"I don't think you mean that."

"Oh, believe me, Eric, I mean it. If that thing comes within a yard of my hoo-ha, it's getting chopped off."

I joking recoiling from her, but hoped at the same time that she was just playing with me. Strangely, I had a feeling that she wasn't.

But aside from the threats of castration, all was well. Despite Sookie being a month early, she was able to go home with the babies two nights after giving birth, and that's when our lives really turned on their heads.

It was tough work, I had to admit that, and we both got a little cranky from lack of sleep, but it was so worth it and I fell more and more in love with all three of them every day.


.

Okay, so I'm leaving it there where all is good in the world, and we all know that Sookie can't really resist the GP!

I felt the need to give Isabel a happy ending as well, and for anyone that's interested, I borrowed Daniel Kane from The Big Bad Wolf Romances (The Heat, The Strip, The Spell & The Hunt) by Heather Killough-Walden. Kane is a werewolf cop and very hot, and the books are full of sexy wolves and their strong female companions. Worth a read for anyone with a Kindle, and not too expensive. I've read all four in 10 days!

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to read this – I'm going to have a little time off as my exam is in less than three weeks, and right now I feel like I know nothing!

;)